public institutions demonstrated in the Moro Report. 'And so I
wouldn't want to be responsible for a report about his son's death that
left anything open to question.'
'Do you think there's a chance of that?'
'Probably not, sir,' Brunetti answered. 'But I wouldn't want to leave
something undone that a person as difficult as Moro could point to and
ask questions about. He'd be sure to make it look bad for us. And
he's certainly a person who gets his fair share of public attention.'
Brunetti stopped himself from saying more.
Patta gave all of this some thought and finally asked, 'What do you
suggest?'
Brunetti feigned surprise that he should be asked such a thing. He
started to speak, stopped, and then went on, giving every evidence that
he'd never considered this possibility. 'I suppose I'd try to find out
whether he took drugs or showed signs of depression.'
Patta appeared to consider all of this and then said, 'It would be
easier for them to bear it if they were certain, I suppose.'
'Who, sir?'
'His parents.'
Brunetti risked a question. 'Do you know them?'
The father, yes,' Patta said.
Because this was still not followed by an attack on the man, Brunetti
dared to ask, Then do you think we should go ahead like this, sir?'
Patta sat up straighter and moved a heavy Byzantine coin he used as a
paperweight from one side of his desk to the other. 'If it doesn't
take too much time, all right.' How typically Patta was this answer:
having commissioned the investigation, he had simultaneously assured
that any delay would be laid at the feet of someone else.
'Yes, sir,' Brunetti said and got to his feet. Patta turned his
attention to a thin file on his desk and Brunetti let himself out.
In the small outer office, he found Signorina Elettra at her desk, head
bent over what appeared to be a catalogue. He looked closer and saw a
double-page spread of computer screens.
She glanced up and smiled.
'Didn't you just buy one of those?' he asked, pointing to the screen
to her right.
'Yes, but they've just come out with new ones, perfectly flat screens,
as thin as a pizza. Look,' she said, pointing a scarlet fingernail at
one of the photos in the catalogue. Though he found her simile
surreal, he had to agree it seemed accurate enough.
He read the first two lines of print and, seeing too many numbers and
initials, to make no mention of a word he thought was 'gigabytes' he
sped to the bottom where the price was given. That's a month's
salary,' he said, in astonishment, aware that there was more than a
little disapproval in his tone.
'Closer to two,' she added, 'if you get the larger LCD screen.'
'Are you really going to order it?' he asked.
'I've no choice, I'm afraid.'
'Why?'
'I've already promised this one she began, indicating her all-but-new
computer screen as though it were a bag of old clothing she was asking
the cleaning lady to dispose of, 'to Vianello.'
Brunetti decided to let it go. There seems to be some connection
between the Vice-Questore and Dottor Moro/ he began. 'Do you think you
could find out more about that?'
She had returned her attention to the catalogue. 'Nothing easier, sir
she said, and turned a page.
Venice, like every other city in the country, was feeling the
consequences of the government's refusal to adopt an immigration policy
that was related in any sane way to the realities of immigration. Among
the consequences which did not affect Brunetti directly were the
thousands of illegal immigrants who profited from the easygoing Italian
policy and who then, in possession of Italian documents legitimizing
their presence on the continent, passed to northern countries where
they would be able to work with some protection under the law. There
was also the resulting irritation on the part of other governments at
the ease with which the Italians washed their hands of the problem by
passing it on to them.
Venice, and Brunetti, had begun to feel the consequences in their own
way: the number of pickpocketings had skyrocketed; shoplifting was a
problem for even the smallest merchants; and no householder any longer
felt that his home was safe from robbery. Since most of these cases
passed through the Questura, Brunetti registered the increase, but he
